AN OBVIOUS improvement to cotton picker design in terms of convenience, safety and fire prevention is now available from Vanderfield.
The new platform extensions are designed for the right side of John Deere 7760 and CP690 cotton pickers.
Vanderfield, technical support, Andrew White said in terms of convenience, the extension enables the operator to control and load the bale wrap without having to get down from the machine.
“With the new extension it is just a matter of opening the security gate and walking straight down to the controls,” he said.
“You don’t have to put the ladder in the crop and climb down.
“The platform makes it a lot easier and a lot safer.”
According to the Cotton Australia harvest guide, cotton lint is highly flammable and picker fires are common.
Keeping the machine clean of accumulated lint, trash and grease is one of their key recommendations for the prevention of fires.
Mr White said the right hand platform extension allowed the operator better access to the machine for blow down.
”When you are blowing down, you can now get good access to the feeder belt with your lance,” he said.
“You have access to right hand corner, which you din’t have before for blowing out cotton trash.”
Mr White said the access also improved operator safety by allowing blow down and servicing without ladders or climbing on the machine.
In terms of looks, Mr White said the Vanderfield built right hand extension matched the look and materials used by John Deere on the left hand side.
Mr White said orders need to be placed with Vanderfield by Christmas for the coming season, as supplies are limited.